Tiger Woods is back where he belongs, atop the World Golf Rankings, a spot he abdicated for a bunch of pretenders, especially two guys named Martin Kaymer and Luke Donald.

Rory McIlroy will make a play for a return to that prime position as he gets his club change and love life in order.

Woods regained the top spot with his eighth victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a win that numerous writers assessed meant nothing.

Apparently, Woods wonít be back until he wins another major. They will keep moving the goal posts until the prediction is that Tiger will never be back until he wins a golf match on Mars.

Advertisement

Tiger canít win another major until he tees up at the Masters April 11-14. In other words, let Tiger supporters enjoy this sweet return to golf prominence instead of rehashing every past mistake.

Itís rather pathetic that golf writers talk about almost everything regarding Woods except for the fact that his body of work remains a remarkable achievement.

They talk about Woods cursing on the course. Or the few times heís tossed a club. Or his infidelity with an alleged litany of sex partners. These topics have been discussed ad nauseum. When other PGA guys canít beat Mr. Woods, they can always rely on bogus golf writers to tug on Supermanís cape.

Believe me, nobody is pulling harder for Woods because once he wins another major, everyone of these guys should be forced to show their ďWe love everybody but Tiger WoodsĒ membership cards.

Meanwhile, Woods kept grinding, kept figuring it out, continued dreaming. Arguably the best golfer of all time, Woods won three times last year and owns as many victories in four stroke play events in 2013.

The Golf Channel can hire smooth-talking African American golf assessors because most of them wonít talk straight. They are detached from the black golf world that understands many in media have stacked themselves against Woods.

A game steeped in racism can now hire black guys who deny this gameís past and present condition.

Augusta National barricaded itself from black members or female members for as long as it could. Those good Ďol boys receive no praise here for finally allowing membership to minorities.

I find it stupefying that Louisville menís basketball team is ranked No. 1 for the NCAA Tournament but not one broadcaster ever speaks about the infidelity regarding Cardinals coach Rick Pitino.

Nothing about Pitino having sex on a restaurant table with the wife of the team equipment manager. The scandal broke in 2009 when the woman allegedly attempted to extort $10 million from Pitino.

I donít know what the shelf-life for infidelity discussion should be but nobody talks about Pitino. He is one of the boys. Wink. Wink.

Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich said he was ďa million percentĒ behind Pitino. A million percent behind a coach whose No. 1 assignment is to set a positive example for his basketball players, students, faculty and the University of Louisville but he lands spread eagle on a dinner table.

Louisville President James Ramsey said ďas we try to teach our students, when you make a mistake you admit it and right it as best you can. Coach has done that.Ē

Tiger Woods is not a coach of a golf team. Tiger Woods, Inc. is all about the business of himself. If he screws up then everything falls on him.

Smart people are not that interested in Mr. Woodsí off-course sex life but we admire his tenacity, talent and ability to think his way around a golf course. However, now Mr. Woodsí personal life matters because it appears that he has reached that fantastic place of self forgiveness.

Take it from a guy who recorded several run-ins with adversity: Nothing is better than that day you awake and feel ready to move on, look back at the past knowing that it does not have to define your future.

Itís often said that golfers need to have short memories. For example, in Mondayís final round, Woods drove his ball into a fairway bunker, the same one he had previously knocked a second shot into the water during second-round play.

Television replayed that unsuccessful shot to the No. 16th hole, a par-5. No doubt, Woods thought only about this new moment, a chance for success. Tiger remained in the moment then spanked a shot toward the middle of the green. He two-putted for a birdie and three-shot lead.